if you look at utility furniture for camping and outdoor living and you can see the effect this period of design austerity had on how we still look at functional products to this day.

The end of the war in 1945 did not bring an end to this period of utility and it was the mid 1950’s before rationing came to an end. 

Britain, along with the rest of the countries affected by war, began to look forward to a period of peace and prosperity...

After the Second World War, the world had changed radically. 

In Britain it took another decade of rationing and rebuilding before the country was back on its feet. 

American involvement in the war brought more than just military support; they gave us modern materials, fast food, rock and roll and the start of a teenage culture. 

In effect they gave us much of what we take for granted today.

New materials, and those which came to prominence during the war such as Plywood and Acrylic, were used extensively in the designs of the contemporary era.

As a feel good message - the Festival of Britain of 1951 was put on exactly 100 years after the Great Exhibition. 

It was intended to show Britain that we had a great future after the World War. Even though the economy was on the mend, the utility design of the war was still strong and many domestic machines had that gadget appeal, while furniture was often multifunctional and inventive.

The 1950’s look remains very distinctive and the style of the time is very popular again at the moment.

The contemporary era consolidated the practicality of the utility period and furniture of the time was often multi-functional and ingenious in its approach. Homeowners often had limited space so this type of furniture was often welcome.

One other major influence from the war was science and technology. 

The war had effectively ended with the atom bomb that represented a huge scientific breakthrough, even if its discovery was never intended to be a weapon of mass destruction.

We were fascinated by the possibilities of science and symbolism began to creep into designs. 

Space travel was also in its infancy and the Sputnik Satellite, with its distinctive ‘spheres on rods’ inspired many consumer objects.

Fascination with the genetic effects of radiation following the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima eventually gave birth to the comic book heroes we still know and love to this day. These comic books would eventually inspire the pop art generation.

Post Modernism is a term given to the period from the late 1950’s onwards. 

Post Modernism was about taking what was already established, often keeping the ideals of being functional, but it questioned whether objects should simply look like they functioned. 

The designs often had a comical aspect - making fun 😂 of modernist conventions such as ‘form follows function’ and ‘less is more’.

Objects no longer had to look like we might expect and other conventions were often challenged. We had seen functionalism in the whole of the modernist era as well as practicality and utility through the war and into the contemporary period.

 Artists and designers now sought to challenge our ideas about what design should look like. 

It wasn’t always well received and buildings like the Pompidou Centre, which is effectively ‘inside out’ were considered to be ugly and even ridiculous at the time of their construction.

As the 1950’s came to an end, the future looked much more promising and the economy was growing. 

A teen culture was established and there was generally a greater feeling of hope and prosperity. This was particularly evident in Britain which was soon to become one of the major capitals for design innovation in the world.

The advances in plastic technology through the 1950’s resulted in a society which saw plastic as a disposable material.

 Furniture became fun, inflatable and colourful and the growing use of recreational drugs led to more intense use of colour and pattern.

As the decade went on, furniture became more intimate like the shell chair, as well as lower to the ground so consumers could be more relaxed when they were intoxicated and socialising with friends.

Pop Art reflects what was ‘popular’ at the time including music, movies and lifestyle. This era really does reflect the ideals of Post Modernism with its bright colours, wild patterns and crazy designs.

Towards the end of the decade, space travel became a reality and the world looked to a time when we would all be living on the moon. 

After the Moon landing of 1969 the britain embraced symbols of space and homes soon became lined with silver foil and clean white products.

It was also a time of revivalism with the Victorian style making a comeback albeit with more garish colours. Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau both fitted well with the psychedelic ‘hippy-look’ of the late 1960’s.

As the 1970’s approached the future looked very bright indeed but growing civil unrest and pending recession would soon put an end to the ‘feel good’ factor of the 1960’s.

Key names include Joe Colombo, Verner Panton

By the end of the 1970’s, recession in Britain and war between America and Vietnam had brought an end to the positive feeling of optimism and growth that was so prominent in the 1960’s for these two nations. 

In Britain, the teenagers, once so fun loving and carefree, were now facing a bleak future and unemployment and they became more hostile and rebellious. The Punk movement was born from a love of rock music and hatred towards the government. It was, in effect, an angrier take on the Hippies with their more passive approach.

Meanwhile... In Italy, a group of designers took a similar approach with their designs. They were not angry but took a similar approach to ‘punk rockers’ in the way they combined bright colours and busy patterns in a non-conformist way. As we approached an age that would become increasingly obsessed with technology, Memphis is still considered to be the last distinctive design movement of the 21st Century.

 Technological progress in the East meant that Europe, and the USA would slowly lose their place as industrial leaders.

Key names include: Ettore Sottsass

Blobism/Blobitecture

These are terms for a movement in architecture in which buildings have an organic, amoeba-shaped, building form. 

The word first appeared in print in 2002 and, despite being intended to be derogatory, the word has stuck and has become popular to describe organic shaped products.

Key names include Karim Rashid, Jonny Ive and Marc Newson.

Summary

The world has changed radically since the 1700’s and the Industrial revolution but there is no doubt that it set in motion a chain of events that has shaped our modern day lives.

• Pre-modernists such as Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau were not against machinery but believed that they could not make products as skilfully as a craftsman by mechanised means. As a result, they were heavily influenced by nature and this was reflected in the designs.

• Modernists such as De Stijl and Bauhaus embraced the use of machinery and modern materials and designed for machines.

• Post Modernists such as Pop and Memphis believed that objects can be functional but also fun and playful in their appearance.

• Neo Modernism is a phrase that is sometimes used to describe the ongoing period of advanced technology but, until historians can look back on it with hindsight, it will simply be known to us as ‘our time’.

The following timeline summarises technological advances, global events and design periods.

Revision notes

Break your revision of these time periods into three categories:

Pre-modernist, Modernist and Post- modern. It may help to remember these as being separated by each World War.

Modernism is basically an acceptance of industrialization, which developed from the industrial revolution. Many design movements, such as Bauhaus, embraced and explored the use of technology.

It helps to know Arts and Crafts, Bauhaus, Contemporary and Memphis as these cover a range of design periods from each category.

Memphis was probably the last recognised design movement which you will study. Much has been revivalist or focused on developments in technology. 

Perhaps this era will be known as the ‘Apple age’?

Ensure you know a prolific designer and a well-known product from each design movement or at least those four above.